Auxiliary driving mechanism



May 22. 1928. 1,670,457

J. E. LANGFORD AUXILIARY DRlVING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 31, 1927 al I 4 .15124 20 /p @www autor lll Patented May 22, 17928.

j JAY E. LANGFQRD, or sroizaitn,l WASHINGTON.

AUXILIARY DRIVING MECHANISM. l

`Application filed January 31, 192'?.` Serial No. 164,793.

Mypresent inventionrelates to an improved auxiliary driving mechanism ivhicli, While l capable oiv variousIuses is designed particularly for use on automotive vehicles, trucks. The poiver t'or the` auxiliary driving mechanism is derived from the propeller shaft. of thcusual motor vehicle,` and this poner 1from "the auxiliary mechanism may be applied for various purposes, as i'or instance in the nature of operating mechanismto a. hoisting drum, as herein illustrated. Thoauxiiiary driving mechanism is asfsociated with and receives` its power from the propeller .shalt that usuallyextends longitudinally oi the vehicle, and means are provided ior longitudinally shifting a section ol the propeller shaft, whereby that shatt-section is `released from the propulsion mechanism ofthe=.vchicle `and converted for` use With the auxiliary driving mechanism. The propeller shaft for the vehicle is ot course normally in position to perform its usual functions, and its movable section is controlled by a hand lever mechanism and clutch'for disconnecting the propulsion mechanism and connecting the auxiliary driving mechanism, as will lieneii'ial'ter be more fully set 'forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings. I have illustrated one complete example of the physical embodiment of my invention wherein the parts are combined and arranged according to the best mode I have thus far devised for the practical application oi the principles of my invention.

Figure 1 a view in side elevation of an mitomotive truck equipped With the mech- `anism of my invention, part oi' the chassis or trame being broken away for convenience ot' illustra-tion.

Figure 2 is an enlarged vieiv showing the longitudinallymovable section of the propeller shaft and its connections.

Figure 3 is a sectionalvieiv ot `parts used in connection with the shi'ltable or movable shaftfsection.

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional vieivof the driving sprocket and its hub on the movable shaft-section.

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view at line 5-5 of Figure` 3 of the shaft-section showing apart of the clutch device.

In order that the general assembly and relation of parts may readily be understood I have illustrated in Figure 1 a conventional automotive truck and indicated its chassis or frame as 1, the rear propelling Wheels as 2 driven i'i'ointhe propeller shaft which comprises the engine shaft 3, the longitudinally movable shaft-section 4 connected with the end' of the engine shai't bj a universal joint 5, and the rearpropcller shaft-section 6. j

Between the rear .section 6 and the longitudinally movable section 4 a slidable joint is provided through theuse oi" a socket?? in the end` ofthe shaft-sectionol and Ithe polygonal or square `head 8 on the endof theseetion 4.` The .rear section. is driven through this joint when the sections 6 are connected, but when disconnected, the rear section/oi course is not 'rotated or revolveduu. j j 3 i The ,other end of the movable shaft-section 4 isv fashioned with exterior,longitudinally extending splines andl grooves 9 that slide in the sleeve 10. This sleeve hasintegral therewith one of the knuckles 11 of the uniyersal joint 5 and near its ends and extending throughout', its length are arranged grooves 12 that form ribs complementary to the splines and ribs or grooves on the shaft. Thesleeve'thus revolves at all times With the shaft regardless of the position ofthe shaft With relation thereto, and the end of the shaft-section4 is slidable longitudinally of the sleeve, When the head on the other end ofv the section 4 is backed out of its socket in the section 6. fi

The movablel vshaft-section 4 is normally held in operative relationship with vthe rear Section 6 of the propeller shaft through the medium of a. springl which is interposed between a flange 14 on the head 11 oi thesleeve 10 and a collar 15 secured by set bolt 16 in adjusted position on the shaft-section As seen in Figure 3 the tendency of the spring is to normally urge the head 8 into its socket and bold it there so that the section 4 through the socket-joint transmits roino tary motion to the section 6.

At the point of this slidable joint the secfifi tion 4 and section 6 of the propeller shaft i are supported by a bearing comprising-a coupling bushing 17 on section 6, which bushing has a Hange 18, and the section 4 is provided With a longer bearing bushing 19 which is fashioned rigidly bolted to the flange 18. The section 4 is free to revolve in its bushing and a bearing 21 which is lubricated from the oil cup.

22, is interposed between the shaft and its bushing as seen in Figure 3, parts 17 and With a flange 2O that is i 18 being supported :is indicated at A inFigure 1.

The movable shaft-section 4: is slid longitudinally in the two spaced bushings or sleeves 10 and 19 and movement is applied to the shaft-section at the grooved ball` bearing ring Q3 lined to and surrounding the shalt near the end of the bushing 11). :Thisbearing ring forms part of a clutch device including the ringgyolrc 21 and the clutch arm rigidtherewith. `The clutch arm 25is connected by a rod 26 extending forwardly Lotthe vehicle, to the manually operated lever QT that may be operated by the driver of the vehicle for shitting the section 4 longitudinally to disengage its polygonal head 8 from the socket 7 ot' the rearseetion of the propeller shaft.

This forward movement of the section ll causes a pair of lugs or clutch members 28 fixed to the shaft-section, to engage in coniplementary notches 29 ot' a clutch sleeve 30 carried loosely onvthe shaft-section adjacent the ball bearing; The clutch sleeve is provided with a bearing sleeve 3l and an oil cup 32 is provided for furnishing lubricant to the clutch sleeve in order that the shaftseetion may ,freely revolve therein under normal conditions.

,The clutch sleeve is provided .with :in untifrietionbearing by use of the exterior ball bearing ring or collar 33 co-acting with the stationary bearing: collar 34 and bracket 34. On tlie'exte'rior 'of the clutch sleeve a drivingspnoclet'mvlieel 35 is fixed by means of the set bolt 36, and through the chain 37 is ,connected y.t0 a dringen sprocket wheel 38 of the hoisting mechanism 39, the latter being driven when the shaft-section 4 has been shifted to the correct position.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is The combination with a driving shaft section, a driven shaft-section having a socket and an intermediate, longitudinally movable shai't section, of a slide-head at one end of the intermediate section for co-action with said socket in the adjoining end of the driven section, longitudinal ribs and grooves on the driving section and intermediate section constantly in slidable relation, means for moving the intermediate section, a driving member loose on the intermediate section and coacting clutch members on said driving inember and intermediate section.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature.

JAY E. LANGFORD. 

